Location of city villa or single-family house on 500 m2 plot - rectangular

Back then it was still 70cm, so the offer was over 40cm for me. During the replacement, I was then called to the construction site because the excavator discovered while digging that it actually had to be 1m. So I did a quick mental calculation and thought okay, then 3/4 more will be added - damn. In the end, it became even more.

Proof of transfer, but it's all so exhausting.

Welcome to the club - this is all normal and not something that only happens to you ;)

that my behavior was somehow not alright.

Did I overlook that? How had you behaved for them to bring that up?

Thank you, is there a welcome cocktail?

Well, the fact that I withheld the payment "just" because the invoice was 1000 EUR higher than expected without explanation was probably received with displeasure. In the explanatory letter about why it was higher, I was more or less blamed for the too low offer, as I had not re-measured after the demolition. Well, now everything is probably fine. It leaves a sour taste...

I was also very annoyed with the earthworks. I had commissioned them directly with a garden landscaper, but coordinated through the general contractor. They dug out and pushed aside. Two huge piles at the back of the property. When it was filled back in, the garden landscaper had to bring several tons again, which he had previously taken away from me. It cost me something between 500 and 1000 euros.

Of course, I talked to him about it and tried to negotiate it away. The argument was that the required amount can be calculated fairly easily and he must have mistakenly taken away too much, for which I shouldn't have to pay. Well, he almost flew off the handle on the phone.

So first of all, unfortunately this seems to be normal in earthworks. Just 1000 euros here and there, it will probably continue like that for you. Secondly, I wouldn't be too quick to badmouth the general contractor. We also get upset over many things on the construction site, where I think: "Why do I even have a site manager and a general contractor?", but when I look at the neighbors to see what’s going wrong there, we really got a good deal.

Chin up, it will be fine! But be prepared that if someone calls you soon and asks how it should be done – so counterclockwise or clockwise – then it will cost 1000 euros more, no matter what you want. The answer to every question on the construction site is: 1000 euros more. That’s just how it is.

Was that an addendum or simply a mass overrun?

It was clear from the soil investigation report that a soil replacement would need to be carried out. For this, there was a supplementary offer before the start of the work with the expected volumes and tonnages. I had approved this. Shortly after the work began, I was called to the construction site because instead of 70cm (specification from the report), 1m had to be replaced. I approved that (at that point I had no other choice) and even estimated a lot of resulting additional costs (+75%). By then I was already pretty pissed off. Last week the invoice came by email without any comments or delivery receipts and was >100% higher than the original offer. Of course, I said that I couldn’t just pay that without understanding where these additional costs came from. +3d: Original invoice with delivery receipts from the gravel plant. The total tonnage even corresponded to an even higher amount… +3d: Explanation that not only more had to be replaced but also raised above the surrounding ground level to reach the height in the building permit. The attached delivery receipts were apparently incorrect, new calculation of the quantity used plausibly matching the invoice. Wording largely technical, but with denial of responsibility (through indirect blame-shifting to me) and without any apology. In parallel, an email from the executing subcontractor asking where the money was (with a payment term for the general contractor, as of the day before). What annoys me less is the circumstance of additional effort itself, although that already causes headaches, but rather how the general contractor and the subcontractors have dealt with it, as I just want such things explained and not simply pay more like that.

In such a case, I would want to check the measurements and the calculation before payment. That takes time. Two weeks is reasonable.

As a rule, the main contractor wants to be overpaid and keeps the subcontractor waiting for a long time. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Did the main contractor not have the soil investigation report? Do you have a lump sum or a unit price contract?